Does your auto insurance policy include roadside assistance? If not, adding it to your policy is likely not as complicated or as expensive as you think. More importantly, it could save you an enormous headache at some point.
Since the cost is often the first thing people want to know about, like with anything, it is all going to depend on what services are included with the add-on you choose. Some insurance companies offer roadside for as little as $10 a year. Full disclosure, they can cost upwards of $100 too, but when you consider that a single jumpstart can cost well over $100, there is really no reason not to add this coverage to your policy, for your own peace of mind and security, and for that of your loved ones.
Roadside assistance can involve a wide variety of services. Jump starts, winching and towing, new battery installation, flat tire service, locksmith service, or gas delivery, etc. Talk with your agent to be crystal clear on what services are included with the coverage that you purchase. According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are over 150,000 auto crashes related to winter weather each year alone. That doesn’t even include all the other, more minor winter-related issues that come up all the time which render a vehicle, at least temporarily, immobile.
We’re talking about a season that can be extremely difficult on motor vehicles. If you’re reading this in the upper Midwest where our offices are located, then even more so. You’ve probably required one or several of the above-listed services at some point before. And when that happened, if you did not have roadside service or coverage that was insufficient to your needs in that moment, we want to be sure that never happens to you again.
Call your nearest Horihan Insurance location today.
In the meantime, there are ways you can lower the probability that you’ll have a breakdown.
Carry jumper cables, spare tires and a jack. And this should go without saying, but it doesn’t, so we’re going to say it. Even people who keep these things in their car in the event of an emergency sometimes assume that they’ll know how to use them, but when the situation arises, they find out they really don’t. Learn these basic life skills. And that’s exactly what they are. Well, life-saving skills, potentially.
Along with this always have a flashlight so you can see what you’re doing. And flares, should it become necessary to flag someone down.
Get some car door de-icer too. Even if you’re extra vigilant with the whereabouts of your keys/key fob, you can still get locked out of your car by the elements. Even hand sanitizer has been shown to be an effective de-icing agent, in a pinch.
You may consider having extra fuel on hand for long hauls, but ONLY if you drive a pickup and can securely store it in the truck bed. Do NOT keep extra fuel in your car or trunk where there is no ventilation. But take the time to learn your state’s laws in doing so.
When you’re on the road, problems can and do arise, and you’re not always able to solve them. Call Horihan Insurance today and we’ll help make sure you’ve got a connection with someone who can.